by Asiri Fernando in the Daily Morning, Sept 17, 2023The Chinese geophysical and seismic scientific research vessel Shi Yan 6 (IMO: 9904247) has commenced its 80-day expedition into the Indian Ocean and was enroute to the Malacca Strait yesterday (16) evening, despite Colombo not yet having granted diplomatic permission for the vessel to call port or carry out a planned joint survey in the waters surrounding the island, The Sunday Morning learns. According to Foreign…
Posts published in “Sri Lanka”
By Shamindra Ferdinando in The Island, Sept 16, 2023Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security, Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera, MP, yesterday (15) asked whether a comprehensive international investigation into accountability issues here could be conducted unless India, too, was subjected to the same. The former Public Security Minister was responding to the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) declaration that India and Sri Lanka Core Group at the ongoing 54 session of the UN…
report on adaderana.lk, Sept 15, 2023 at 4pmPresident Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed a three-member committee to investigate the allegations in the documentary aired by British television network Channel 4 on the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks in Sri Lanka. The committee, chaired by retired Supreme Court Justice S.I. Imam, consists of retired Air Force Commander A.C.M. Jayalath Weerakkody and President’s Counsel Harsha A.J. Soza PC. On September 06, Channel 4 aired a controversial documentary containing…
By Asiri Fernando in The Daily Morning, Sept 15, 2023Sri Lanka will discuss a “code of conduct” for the Indian Ocean at the upcoming 23rd Council of Ministers Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) scheduled to kick off on 11 October, Minister of Foreign Affairs President’s Counsel M.U.M. Ali Sabry said yesterday (14). Sri Lanka is set to take up the chairpersonship of the Indian Ocean regional body for the second time in…
By Rathindra Kuruwita in The Island, Sept 14, 2023Former President Maithripala Sirisena has said there must be an international investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks, following the revelations of the Channel 4 documentary. Sirisena said that for four years, various parties had levelled allegations against him for not stopping the terror attacks. “I was harassed. There were court orders against me. But when you watch the Channel 4 video, you can see that what actually…
By Easwaran Rutnam in Yhe Colombo Gazette online, Sept 13, 2023The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and the United National Party (UNP) are likely to form a grand alliance ahead of the next elections, Colombo Gazette learns. Sources told Colombo Gazette that talks in this regard are at the initial stages and includes attempting to agree on a common policy and framework on governing the country. While it is still not clear if there is…
report in EconomyNext, Sept 13, 2023A fish export association from Fujian Province in China has expressed interest in utilising the surroundings of small-scale coastal ports across Sri Lanka, to process and export aquaculture yields to Europe and North America. Aquaculture, or farming in water, involves breeding, raising, and harvesting fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants. The Aquatic Product Wholesale Industry Association of the Fujian Province met with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and expressed their willingness to…
By Shamindra Ferdinando in The Island, Sept 13, 2023Former Ambassador to Germany, Switzerland and ex-High Commissioner in South Africa, Sarath Kongahage, yesterday (12) alleged that British television Channel 4 had tricked him into discussing political developments with the focus on the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage. Claiming that the Channel 4 programme didn’t reflect what he had said in a two-hour interview on 22 Dec., 2022, at his Madiwela residence, the one-time UNP National List MP…
By Norman Palihawadane in The Island, Sept 13, 2023The Catholic Church yesterday (12) rejected outright the special investigative committee proposed by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to probe the allegations raised by Channel 4 pertaining to the Easter Sunday carnage. Church Spokesman Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini said that the Church did not believe that such committees would be able to deliver the truth. The priest said that it would be an exercise that would waste time and…
By Shamindra Ferdinando in The Island, Sept 12, 2023The Opposition would seek the IMF’s commitment to rein in rampant corruption with the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government in spite of the country being declared bankrupt over a year ago, former External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris said yesterday (11). Addressing the media at the Nawala Office of Nidahasa Janatha Sabhawa, the senior SLPP rebel group member said that the Opposition intended to furnish transcripts of the three-day…
report in Daily Mirror, Sept 12, 2023Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who has maintained a stark silence since his resignation in July last year is now eyeing to recapture and strengthen his failed image through a new political party which is now led by one of his close aide’s and media owner who declared his entry into politics yesterday. The Daily Mirror learns that Gotabaya Rajapaksa who has been given all the privileges and facilities as…